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THE EASTERN QUESTION.

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THE EASTERN QUESTION. MEHEMET ALI AND THE PORTE. CONSTANTINOPLE, SEPT. I O.-Rifiat Bey bears the following letter for the sublime Porte from Mehemet Ali for the Grand Vizier:— "The 9th Eegeb, 1256 (Sept. 5, 1840.) HIGHNESS The decision of the Four great Powers-Russia, Prussia, England, and Austria, with respect to the Eastern question, concluded in London by the four Ambassadors, was communicated to me, with a Vizer's order, by your servant Rifaat Bey, one of the Ministers of the sublime Porte, now on a mis- sion at my Court. I received it with the utmost reverence. As, in this decision, the hereditary pach- alic of Egypt only was granted me, I accepted it with gratitude towards the high Powers, and with all duty- ful obedience to your divine shadow. I have not allowed the term of twenty days to elapse in order to accept this favour, since it is necessary that I should submit to the decision of the high Powers, and to the orders of my august master and Sovereign. Be- fore this term of twenty days had expired I accepted the treaty with many sincere thanks. His Excellency Rifaat Bey was present at this act. Let not the pro- crastination here be wrongly interpreted, or ascribed to any unwillingness to execute the will of the high Powers, and of my august master. This delay was rather in the hope that I might obtain an assent to my proposals from the magnanimity and grandeur of the high Powers, for whom I profess the greatest regard. When all this shall have come to the ears of your Highners, I entreat, that being an old servant and slave of our august master, the Government of Syria may be granted me for the term of my life and that it may not be intrusted to another. I promise to ameliorate its situation. Tranquillity shall reign throughout the country; the people, great and small shall be made happy, and on that score I shall endea- vour to render great services to my master, to my Padischah. This favour I expect of my Sovereign, and of the justice of the high Powers, for whom I put up prayers to God. This coming to the knowledge of your Highness, all will depend on the sublime orders. MEHEMET ALL" There is no news of importance in the Paris Jour- nals of Monday. The National devotes nearly three of its columns to an examination of the warlike strength of the Great European Powers; and after an enumeration of their population, extent of territory, debt, and ordinary revenue, arrives at the conclusion that though France may not be able single-handed to cope with Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Rus- sia, yet that in the contest she could and would revo- lutionize Europe. The following extract from this article will shew the spirit in which it is conceived. and the class of passions to which it is addressed :— The Four Powers represent a population of one hundred and thirty millions, an army of 1,700,000 men, a fleet 834 vessels, and a general revenue of two milliards seven hundred and sixty five millions. It is evident that, in the event of a rupture and open struggle with the new coalition, France could not carry on a war of strategy, a war of battalions for, independently even of alliances, the game would not be an equal one. Are not the auxiliaries to whom we allude known to every body? Who has not uttered the names of Ireland, Poland, Italy, the Tyrol, Hungary, Prussian France (we mean Rhenish Prussia,) all those oppressed nations which have been reduced to the miserable condition of conquered provinces, and the rousing and liberation of which would be so many armies on our side? And even the English people, corroded by pauperism, would they a second time give their blood and their gold against the French de- mocracy, which, by the force of things, is become the palladium of the European democracy ? And have not the poeple of Prussia before their minds the fal- lacious promises of 1813 and the perjury of 1815 ? There is not a State, even to the hereditary States of the Austrian monarchy, which we could not rouse in our favour by presenting ourselves, no longer as insa- tiable conquerors, but as liberators and brothers. As to Russia, supposing her to be fanaticised by her thirst for conquest, is it probable that Germany would, without taking fright, see that power pass over her body in order to fall upon us ? If, to the difficulties of our position, France compact, free, and independent at home, strong by her physical position, and still stronger by her moral position, and the homogene- ousness of the elements which constitute it, there will be entire confidence in her power and in her good star. Would to God that the men who arrogate to them- selves the right of governing her, had the intelligence, or at least the instinct, of her greatness! Happy would it be if they did not immolate her glory and her interests to sordid calculation, and a base ambition!"—Sun.

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